The Human and Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA Resource Centre) is thrilled to announce the official commencement of public voting for the esteemed Gani Fawehinmi Impact and Integrity Awards (GFIIA) 2023. GFIIA Awards, held annually, provide an opportunity for the public to nominate individuals. After a rigorous screening process by HEDA, the public can now cast their votes for their preferred recipients among the 20 shortlisted nominees across various award categories. The public voting phase, which begins today, September 25, and runs until October 20, 2023, can be accessed through the Awards website: https://gfa.hedang.org. Mr. Olanrewaju Suraju, Chairman of HEDA Resource Centre, highlighted that the overarching objective of the GFIIA Awards is to foster a shift in public attitudes towards corruption issues and to celebrate individuals who consistently demonstrate remarkable impact and integrity, even in challenging circumstances. “The Awards process is multi-layered and inclusive, with active public participation from the nomination phase to the final voting phase. A comprehensive multi-layer screening process was conducted by a panel of experts, and the final list of nominees was submitted to the esteemed Awards Board, comprising eminent personalities.” The GFIIA Awards Board, chaired by Prof. Ayo Atsenua and co-chaired by Mr. Femi Falana, SAN, includes Prof. Itse Sagay (SAN), Prof. Nsongurua Udombana, Mr. Olanrewaju Suraju, Dr. Abiola Akiode-Afolabi, Comrade Chuka Achude, and Comrade Femi Aborisade. This year’s GFIIA Awards feature nominees in all four award categories, in contrast to last year’s edition when no nominees for the Nigeria In Diaspora Award Category passed the screening process. HEDA received a total of 312 nomination entries during the open call for nominations. Following meticulous sorting and analysis of these nominations, 20 individuals emerged as nominees across the four award categories: Outstanding Impact (11 nominees), Outstanding Integrity (6 nominees), Valuable Whistle-blower (2 nominees), and Nigerian-In-Diaspora Award (1 nominee). Nominees for the Outstanding Impact Awards include Gbenga Komolafe, Dinatu Emmanuel, Buhari Yerima, Mailafia Yakubu, Abiodun Aremu, James Chijioke, Michael Awo, Ogechukwu Maduagwu, Yunusa Enemali, Femi Gbadebo, and Lukman Oladimeji. Dr. David Adetoro is the sole nominee who successfully passed the screening process for the Nigerian-In-Diaspora Award. Nominees for the Outstanding Integrity Awards are Prof. Nnenaya Oti, Kekwaaru Ngozi, Dr. Tajudeen Odetayo, Saheed Oladele, Emmanuel Ikule, and Ojo Aderemi. Nominees for the Valuable Whistle-blower Awards are Ibrahim Ali and David Hundeyin. HEDA Resource Centre invites the public to actively participate in the voting process and contribute to recognizing and honoring individuals who exemplify the values of impact and integrity championed by the late Gani Fawehinmi. The voting period concludes on October 20, 2023. For further information about GFIIA 2023 and to cast your vote, please visit our official website https://gfa.hedang.org.

A united front comprising 47 civil society groups and activists from ten countries worldwide has thrown its weight behind the upcoming Climate Ambition Summit, slated to take place at the United Nations Headquarters in New York on September 20, 2023. This diverse coalition commends Mr. António Guterres, the Secretary-General of the United Nations and Hadjia Amina Mohammed, his Deputy for their  unwavering commitment to addressing the urgent climate crisis. The group in a letter signed by their representatives and transmitted through HEDA Resource Centre and its Chairman, Olanrewaju Suraju, addressed to the UN Secretary-General and Deputy Secretary-General, Mr. António Guterres and Ms Amina Mohammed respectively; underscores the significance of Secretary-General Guterres’s “Roadmap for a Liveable Planet,” a blueprint designed for the summit. The roadmap emphatically calls for an immediate cessation of all licensing and funding, both public and private, for new coal, oil, and gas projects. “These directives closely align with the findings of esteemed institutions such as the International Energy Agency (IEA) and the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), which have issued dire warnings about the catastrophic consequences of inaction. Both the IEA and IPCC stress that the critical target of achieving net-zero emissions by 2050, a pivotal milestone in mitigating climate change, necessitates a radical departure from further investments in coal, oil, and gas extraction. Disturbing data reveals that current fossil fuel extraction plans would result in a substantial surge in emissions, significantly exceeding the limits mandated by the Paris Agreement. The groups highlight a stark disparity in responses to the climate crisis between the global North, historically the largest contributor to greenhouse gas emissions, and the global South. While Denmark, a major oil and gas producer in Western Europe, has abandoned all future North Sea oil licensing rounds, several Northern nations have paradoxically accelerated new exploration initiatives. “For example, the United Kingdom recently greenlit 100 new oil and gas fields in the North Sea, a move that directly undermines its climate commitments. Simultaneously, the United States, the world’s foremost historic polluter, approved the Willow oil project in Alaska, expected to emit millions of metric tons of greenhouse gases. “Conversely, numerous governments and environmental justice movements in the global South have exhibited commendable leadership. Nations like Costa Rica, Belize, Colombia, and Ecuador have taken proactive measures to prohibit oil, gas, and coal exploration within their territories. However, many Southern nations remain hesitant to discontinue new licensing without a dedicated mechanism to compensate for future revenue losses. The coalition fervently urges the Climate Ambition Summit to prioritize concrete proposals for compensatory mechanisms aimed at preserving untapped reserves of oil, gas, and coal. These mechanisms must extend beyond addressing climate justice and encompass redress for the historical ecological, climatic, and socio-economic damage inflicted by centuries of colonial exploitation perpetrated by the global North. Furthermore, the coalition emphasizes that proposed financing mechanisms must not replicate or create commodity markets, such as carbon or ecosystem services trading, that perpetuate exploitative income streams. Instead, they should facilitate a transition away from colonialist practices, prioritizing the collective rights of all beings to survival over the accumulation of wealth by a select few. Several financing proposals have already been advanced to bolster climate finance, including an international tax on windfall energy company profits, a Financial Transaction Tax, share buyback taxes, and a progressive global tax on oil, gas, and coal companies based on their CO2 emissions. Additional suggestions entail renegotiating unfavorable terms for existing oil and gas licenses and facilitating the return of revenues held in the global North. The groups, however, place great expectations on the United Nations to play a pivotal role in aiding negotiations and facilitating the return of assets acquired through corruption. The UN Development Programme and the UN Office on Drugs and Crime are viewed as vital platforms for these endeavors. In conclusion, the coalition reiterates unwavering support for the Climate Ambition Summit and anticipates the emergence of concrete proposals for compensatory funding mechanisms as a pivotal outcome of the summit’s deliberations. “The urgent need for dedicated financing to enable global South nations to forego income from new fossil fuel licenses cannot be overstated, and immediate action is imperative to avert irreversible damage to our planet.” The civil society coalition groups include the Accion Ecological, Ecuador; FENRAD, Nigeria; CISLAC  Nigeria; Transparency International, Mongolia Community Resource Centre; Thailand, Community Outreach for Development and Welfare Outreach, Development Action for Humanity, Women Advocates Research and Documentation Centre, Nigeria; Initiative For Women Empowerment & Development (IWED); Society For Economic Rights & Social Justice (SERSJ); Neighbourhood Environment Watch Foundation, Nigeria; Institutional and Sustainable Development Foundation, Nigeria; Environmental and Rural Mediation Centre; Support Initiative for Sustainable Development; Centre for Rural Economic and Social Development; Policy Alert, Nigeria. It also includes the Entrepreneurship Initiative for African Youth; Initiative for Ideal Development and Emancipatory Leadership in Nigeria; Universal Health and Economic Empowerment Foundation, Citizens Right Advocacy; Centre for Peace Education and Community Development; Commuters Rights and Development Foundation; Nature Advocacy and Development Initiative; Save Life Community Initiative, SLICOM-I, Lagos Urban Development Initiative; Resource Centre for Human Rights and Civic Education (CHRICED); Centre LSD; KebetKache Women Development and Resource Centre. Community Information and Advocacy Initiative; CAFSO-WRAG for Development; Civil Society Coalition on Sustainable Development; African Coalition on Migration and Development; Global Witness MUSONET, Mali; HABITAT CARE and Protection; Rural Initiative for Change; Centre for Environment Peace and Youth Development; Grata Fund, Australia; African Network for Environment and Economic Justice Accountability Lab, Nigeria; Stephanie Peacebuilding and Development Foundation; Ogoni Solidarity Forum; Peoples Advancement Centre; Grassroots Advocacy Centre for Economic Development (GRACED); Re: Common, Italy; Initiative for Policy Intervention and Development (I4PID); Publish What You Pay, Nigeria; Cornerhouse, UK and The Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA).

In her commitment to extending the reach of climate justice to communities most affected, The Human and Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA Resource Centre) embarked on a community outreach program that seeks to spotlight the experiences and stories of communities in Lagos State who have borne the brunt of climate change. The objective is to amplify their voices and narratives for meaningful action. This initiative is part of the African Activists for Climate Justice (AACJ) project, which seeks to help communities in Africa seek climate justice and hold their governments and other duty-bearers to account. The project, which will be working with 20 communities across the country, flagged off its engagement in Lagos State with a visit to the Afowo Apa riverine community in the Badagry Local Government Area of Lagos State. The community is a fishing community and also the location of a world Bank-supported aquaculture project with fish cage culture infrastructure and preservation facilities. HEDA’s Executive Secretary, Sulaimon Arigbabu, explained the importance of community outreaches when addressing a group of women and youth whose livelihoods are directly impacted by extreme weather events. He stated that climate change is an existential threat to humanity and thus requires that everyone take action to combat the phenomenon and to help affected communities cope better. He informed the community people that this initiative is about helping to strengthen their voices as they demand appropriate climate response from their various governments.

The Human and Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA Resource Centre) and its international partners have set an agenda for President Bola Tinubu on anti-corruption in Nigeria. The call was made by the foremost anti-corruption group, and its local and international partners at a two-day National Anti-Corruption conference held in Abuja, where President Bola Tinubu has been tasked with the immediate need to decisively fight corruption to halt the country’s possible drift into a major economic crisis amidst reports that Nigeria loses about $60billion every year to corruption. The conference with the theme; ‘Nigeria and the Fight against Corruption: Reviewing the Buhari Regime and Setting Agenda for the Tinubu Administration” organized by HEDA Resource Centre and Centre for Fiscal Transparency and Integrity Watch (CFTI) had participants from across the country, foreign countries and institutional bodies representatives. HEDA observed that Nigeria with a debt portfolio of N77trillion, an inflation rate of 23 percent, GDP of 2.35 percent coupled with unrelenting zeal for graft by public officials, a bold step needed to be taken by the new government to block waste, stop corruption and recreate a new public confidence to save the country from social crisis. Some of the agenda set for the new Government at the conference is to fast track the whistleblower law, payment of backlog of royalties by oil companies, anti-corruption courts for speedy prosecution of corruption cases, firm implementation of the public procurement law, accountability on the part of political actors among others. The conference also charged the National Assembly to affirm Nigeria’s readiness to join the international Special Task Force on Corruption, SATF to enable efficient recovery of illicit funds. Participants also listed the retrieval of billions of funds paid to phantom oil subsidies in the past years, oil theft, public funds stolen by political actors, and a significant cut in the cost of governance as some of the critical steps that Tinubu needed to take to save the country. Femi Falana, a legal practitioner while speaking at the conference said that Nigeria said Nigeria loses billions of dollars to oil theft and the refusal of oil companies to pay the total expected tax amounting to billions over the past years without sanctions. He said Nigeria has failed to put a mechanism in place to determine how many liters of oil are taken from the country’s onshore and offshore. However, Gbenga Komolafe, Managing Director of Nigeria Upstream Regulatory Commission, (NURC) said that new equipment has been acquired by the commission that would monitor every liter of oil taken from Nigeria adding that the new initiative will create a paradigm shift in oil-related revenue generation in the country. Olanrewaju Suraju, HEDA Chairman, noted that there have been no reasons to believe that there was going to be any serious fight against corruption given the experiences in the past years. He said Nigeria’s hope is rekindled by the iron cast will of Nigerians and the irresistible wind of change blowing against corruption across the world of which Nigeria cannot be an exception. Suraju further stressed the need to set an agenda for constructive CSO engagement with the new regime to develop the framework for good governance. The National Security Adviser Mallam Nuhu Ribadu expressed the commitment of the Tinubu-led administration to build the capacity of investigators, as part of efforts to enhance the war against corruption in the civil service and Nigeria as a whole. Ribadu who was represented by the Special Adviser, Legal Department, NSA, Anthony Oluborode maintained that a cap will be placed on fiscal expenditures for the construction of government buildings and salaries related to compensation, and packages of elected officials, adding that such spending will have a low priority in the Tinubu-led administration and transparent.

The Human and Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA Resource Centre), a renowned civil society organization dedicated to championing justice, transparency, and accountability in Nigeria, has expressed deep concern over recent developments surrounding the alleged removal of the Rector at Osun State Polytechnic (OSPOLY), Iree. In the light of these concerns, HEDA emphatically calls upon the Osun State Government, led by Sen. Ademola Adeleke, to abstain from continuing with  actions that defy court orders and undermine the rule of law. The recent order issued by the National Industrial Court of Nigeria, seated in Lagos, in response to an Ex-parte Motion filed by Dr. Tajudeen Odetayo, the allegedly suspended Rector of OSPOLY, has brought the matter into the spotlight. Dr. Odetayo contended that his suspension is unjust and grounded in baseless allegations aimed at tarnishing his reputation and casting him in disrepute. In a statement endorsed by HEDA Resource Centre’s Chairman, Olanrewaju Suraju, the civil society group firmly urges the state government to immediately halt any further actions associated with the appointment of a new acting Rector for Osun State Polytechnic (OSPOLY), Iree, in strict adherence to the court’s order. “We call on the Osun State Government to demonstrate unwavering commitment to the independence and integrity of the National Industrial Court of Nigeria by refraining from any form of interference. “The rule of law is the cornerstone of any thriving democracy, and it is imperative that government actions, especially those carrying significant implications by those who benefitted from protection of the courts to be in power, are conducted within the confines of the law.” Suraju said. HEDA thereby called on the Governor and relevant authorities to adhere to established legal procedures when selecting candidates for pivotal positions, stating that rule of law and merit-based selection are fundamental to the efficient operation of institutions and the advancement of society. Suraju noted that HEDA Resource Centre remains resolute in its commitment to the monitoring and advocacy for good governance, accountability, and the safeguarding of citizens’ rights. He thereby pledges to closely monitor developments surrounding the alleged suspension of the OSPOLY Rector and resolution of the conflicts arising from it. HEDA also implored all stakeholders to prioritize the principles of the rule of law, justice, and transparency in the critical matter.

The Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission is investigating allegations of corruption and abuse of office against  immediate-past Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami. This was revealed in a memo dated July 19, 2023, signed by the Petition Registrar, ICPC, H.S. Folaranmi, on behalf of the ICPC Chairman, Prof Bolaji Owasanoye The memo was in response to a petition filed by the Human and Environmental Development Agenda, accusing the former AGF of corruption and high-handedness. “I am directed to acknowledge the receipt of your petition on the above subject and to inform you that necessary action is being taken on the matter,” the memo read. HEDA, writing the ICPC through its Chairman, Olanrewaju Suraju, in its July 10, 2023 petition sighted by our correspondence, had said, referenced a number of allegations against Malami. It said, “Below are but a few of several corruption allegations against Mr. Abubakar Malami: On the 2nd day of May 2022, it was widely reported by various news outlets that the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice; Abubakar Malami SAN distributed 30 car gifts worth over N1,000,000,000 to his supporters in Kebbi State. “The car gifts included 14 Mercedes Benz, eight  Prado SUVs, four Toyota Hilux and four Lexus LX. Beneficiaries of the car gifts, as reported by PremiumTimes, were social media influencers, executive members of Mr Malami’s foundation and women support groups. “Two, illegal auctioning of sea vessels holding crude oil seized by the Federal Government, violating Section 31(2) and (4) of the EFCC Act 2004 and assuming the role conferred on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission as reported by TheCable Newspaper on the 13th July, 2020. The AGF also authorised the sale of these vessels by companies under EFCC prosecution for similar offence of illegal bunkering and this action was admitted by the AGF through his Media Assistant pleading presumption of innocence on the part of the accused, in a case being prosecuted by the Federal Government through the EFCC.” The group also referenced “alleged duplicity of payment of $16.9m fees to two friends as new lawyers for the recovery of the loot traced to a former Nigerian Head of State, Sani Abacha, after a Swiss lawyer, Enrico Monfrini, hired and fully paid by the previous government, to help in the recovery had completed his brief as reported by PremiumTimes on the 10th of April, 2018.”

The Human and Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA) has raised serious concerns regarding the negative effects of inter-agency rivalry on Nigeria’s fight against insecurity. Consequently, urged the Federal Government to address this issue promptly in order to foster synergy and success in combating insecurity. During a recent television program in Lagos, HEDA’s Chairman, Olanrewaju Suraju, highlighted the challenges experienced during the previous administration. He pointed out that insufficient control over institutions, individuals, and government agencies resulted in recklessness among appointed officials and elected representatives. However, Suraju expressed optimism about the current government, especially with the appointment of National Security Advisor (NSA), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, who possesses commendable character and credentials. Suraju believes that this appointment can lead to improved coordination among law enforcement agencies, anti-corruption bodies, and security agencies. Emphasizing the need for accountability and responsibility, Suraju advocated for imposing penalties on individuals involved in any wrongdoing. He cited a recent incident involving the Department of State Services (DSS) and the Nigeria Correctional Services (NCS) in the case of the suspended Central Bank Governor, Godwin Emefiele. Suraju criticized the uncivil and condemnable actions of the DSS, which he deemed detrimental to the accountability process. Suraju further explained that accountability often diminishes when high-profile individuals are involved, citing the case involving Senator Stella Oduah that took years for arraignment to reach the court, only for the judge to give an order outside his jurisdiction. He attributed the delays in prosecution to conflicts and rivalries among agencies striving to achieve their respective goals. He urged the National Security Adviser and the President to address such conflicts and stress the importance of adhering to appropriate procedures in a civilian regime. The HEDA Chairman stressed the significance of allowing government institutions to function without external interference and called for the judiciary’s understanding of the challenges faced in prosecuting high-profile individuals. He warned that undermining the administration of criminal justice would exacerbate insecurity in the country. Expressing his concerns, Suraju pointed out that high-profile suspects often escape accountability through legal loopholes, such as the bail process and frustrating prosecution efforts. He called on all stakeholders, including lawyers, to prioritize the nation’s well-being and not merely seek the release of suspects without following due process. This interview shed light on the crucial issue of inter-agency rivalry and its detrimental impact on Nigeria’s fight against insecurity. It underscores the urgent need for measures to enhance cooperation among security and law enforcement agencies, ultimately fostering a safer and more accountable society.

Foremost Anti-corrupt group, Human and Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA Resource Centre) has commended the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on its appeal of the recent judgment of the Court of Appeal, Abuja judicial division. The Court discharged former Governor of Jigawa State, Alh. Sule Lamido, and his two sons, Aminu and Mustapha Lamido, of corruption and money laundering charges on the grounds that the prosecution had filed the charge at the wrong judicial division of the Federal High Court. Earlier, the EFCC had charged the former Governor and his two sons with money laundering offenses at the Abuja judicial division. After presenting six witnesses, the anti-graft agency closed its case, and the defendants subsequently filed a no-case submission. However, Justice Ojukwu of the Federal High Court dismissed the no-case submission, ruling that the defendants had a case to answer. Dissatisfied with the ruling, the defendants decided to appeal to the Court of Appeal. A panel of three jurists, led by Hon. Justice Adamu Waziri, reviewed the case and concluded that the money laundering charge should have been filed in Jigawa State, where the alleged offenses were committed. Based on this finding, the Court of Appeal discharged the defendants. In response to the judgment, HEDA Resource Centre’s Chairman, Olanrewaju Suraju, expressed concerns, citing a precedent set by the Supreme Court in the case of Dele Belgore. In the Belgore case, the Supreme Court also overturned a no-case submission ruling by the Federal High Court. However, unlike the Lamido case, the Supreme Court ordered the case to be re-filed and prosecuted in the appropriate judicial division, which was Kwara State. Suraju also highlighted another relevant case, that of Senator Orji Uzor Kalu & Ors, wherein the Supreme Court overturned the judgment of the Federal High Court due to jurisdictional issues. In that case, the Supreme Court ordered a re-trial of the defendants, instead of discharging them. He stressed that an appellant whose appeal is based on an application or an interlocutory appeal, and not on the final judgment of the trial court, should not be discharged by the appellate court. Such discharges could set a wrong precedent, suggesting that technical errors may lead to acquittal. Suraju therefore called on the EFCC, as the prosecutor, to pursue further appeal at the Supreme Court. He emphasized that Nigerians cannot afford a precedent that fails to ensure consequences for money laundering, corruption, and misappropriation of public funds. The EFCC’s response and the potential implications of further appeal will be closely watched, as the case involves high-profile individuals and raises important questions about the judicial process surrounding corruption cases in Nigeria.

A coalition of five civil society organisations (CSOs) in Nigeria has demanded unwavering professionalism and integrity from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) in the alleged investigation of the Chairman of Kano State Public Complaints and Anti-Corruption Commission (PCACC), Muhyi Rimingado. Development Diaries reports that the EFCC and the CCB are probing the period Rimingado served under former Kano State Governor, Abdullahi Ganduje. Rimingado, it is understood, is probing Ganduje, now the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for alleged corruption over a viral video showing the ex-governor allegedly receiving bribe in dollars from a contractor. In a statement to Development Diaries, the coalition made up of Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC), Resource Centre for Human Rights and Civic Education (CHRICED), Human and Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA), Africa Network for Environment and Economic Justice (ANEEJ), and Procurement Observation and Advocacy Initiative (PRADIN) demanded that the agencies carry out their duties with unwavering professionalism and integrity, free from any form of political interference. ‘The coalition expresses concern as the probe is coming on the heels of the PCACC’s enquiry into the alleged financial misconduct of the previous administration led by Abdullahi Ganduje, who currently serves as the National Chairman of the ruling party, the All-Progressives Congress (APC)’, it read. The coalition also called on the PCACC, the EFCC, and the CCB to foster a spirit of collaboration in their individual anti-corruption pursuits.